I believe light needs to be shed on “Pain free insertions” I am currently practicing both on myself and on others, friends, people they know, family etc. Whilst practicing on myself it is very easy to monitor everything, from insertions, to release, to post treatment reaction, etc, etc
I have noticed that “pain” free insertions should not be expected every time. Firstly the description of ‘Pain” needs to be quantified. I suppose the easiest way is with a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being barely perceptible and 10 being the sensation experienced when a needle is inserted into the skin without introducing it through a follicle. Even at 10 as pain goes it really isn’t that bad but over the course of say an hour it can become bothersome and irritating.
Back to insertions. I have noticed through experimenting that insertions are not always sensation free, a degree of pain can be felt sometimes and this can range anywhere on the scale.
There will be instances, regardless of the expertise of a practitioner when they are going to miss the follicle and perhaps exit through the side or push through the bottom or in some instances even miss the follicle completely. This isn’t necessarily a reflection on the competence of the practitioner. Nobody is perfect and everyone sitting back and saying nothing when pain free insertions are touted is making life difficult for everyone both practitioners and potential clients searching for good treatment. It also makes it hard for anyone who’s learning. I kept beating myself up because in my head I’m thinking “What am I doing wrong” when in fact things were improving steadily.
When working on myself I have experienced sensation upon insertion into a follicle and yet once the energy has been released the hair still releases beautifully? You’re not going to get a better indication of a perfect insertion than that and yet on occasion I still felt the needle going in. This wasn’t the exception, it does happen and yet the hair still slid out root sheath intact looking exactly like it should, certainly in the case of anagen growth.
I have actually made a point of removing the probe from a follicle where sensation was experienced on insertion, cleaning it where necessary (where tiny amounts of build up can be seen) then re-inserting it into the same follicle only to find that sensation was no longer felt. To me this would indicate that even tiny amounts of debris that can typically build up on a probe, can result in some sensation being felt. I doubt that the amount of build up could even be seen by someone not using superior magnification. It would certainly not warrant stopping a treatment to clean the needle and yet it does still seem to have a bearing on sensation felt upon insertion. I don’t think any client would expect their electrologist to keep stopping every time they noticed a miniscule build up on the probe, this just isn’t practical.
Don’t expect pain free insertions every time because that’s not a reality.
Judge “pain” (sensation) realistically. Realise that electrolysis does have a degree of sensation, how could it possibly not when you examine what electrolysis is. Be realistic.
If you’re looking around for a competent practitioner there is a far more practical approach to finding one.
I came across a post earlier identifying how best to judge good treatment.
Quite simply it is just a case of having a test patch done and seeing how much is cleared in a given time and how much hair returns once this has been done. Forget mode, forget machine and forget magnification it really is a simple judgment to make. Go for a test patch, wait an appropriate amount of time and commence treatment once you’re sure you’re getting treatment that works. It will take a short period of time to determine this effectively but it will be time well spent in ensuring good treatment and not wasting money.
Apologies for not keeping this post short but some posts require a little more text to hopefully get a point across.
We like long posts here.
In order to do an insertion that is totally unnoticed, one must put together a collection of factors at the same time. I won’t say that this is a comprehensive list, but one must have enough vision to see both the follicle opening, and the angle of insertion. Otherwise one is guessing at these, and a wrong guess equals pain for the person being worked on. Next up, the size of the probe will come into play. While thethinnest of probes are easier to insert, the treatment energy will be problematic. The largest of probes will reduce the treatment energy needed, but if the probe is too large, it will stretch the follicle, thus causing pain, or discomfort upon insertion, even as the treatment energy itself is reduced.
Next up, One must have the touch that allows one to slide that probe along the path down the follicle, while NOT breaking the side or the bottom. This is the main reason my teachers advocated a probe holding that has a light enough touch for the obstructions, and tightening of the bottom of the follicle near the blood suply to cause the probe to slide backwards between your fingers.
The vision equipment used is a large part of this. No one who has viewed our work surface from a 3 diopter circle lamp, a 5 diopter circle lamp, a 10x’s magnification loupe, a 20 times magnification stereo microscope, and a 40times magnification stereo microscope would ever say that magnification is unimportant. Just the difference between 20 times and 40 times magnification is a game changer. One can work better, while working faster as well.
It is my opinion that while a totally unnoticeable insertion is possible on every insertion, it is not practicle to work that way, as our clients are very concious of the fact that we get paid by the hour. As such, they want us to be moving faster, not slower. As we try to split the uprights between fastest movements, and precision treatments, we sometimes flub the insertion angle, or the grip, thus causing a scrap, jab, or breakthrough.
All this is water under the bridge in my practice, as my insertion delay on my treatment energy is 0.2 - 0.3 seconds, snd thus the administration of the treatment energy is experienced to be simultaneous to the insertion by the client.
I will say that, at 40 times magnification, I DO see the buld up of gunk on the probe, and I do stop and clean it off periodically. This build up not only creates scratchy petrusions on the probe, it increases the effective thickness of the probe, thus making it as if you are using a jagged, irregular probe of a thicker size than you sellected. We were told that we should sellect the largest probe that comfortably inserted in the follicle.
The largest probe comfortably inserted while using a 3 diopter circle lamp might be a size 2 or 3, loupes may bring that up to a size 4, and stereo microscopes will take that up to a size 5 or 6.
Next up, the machines used will expand, or limit the practitioner’s options for comfortable treatments. If the practitioner doesn’t know how to use the machine, it will be just like anything else not properly utilized.
So while I can’t agree with you on the importance of equipment, and skill utilizing said equipment, I will wholeheartedly agree that if one is attempting to work at the fastest work rate comfortably possible, one will NOT be performing 100% pain-free INSERTIONS each and every time. I additionally state that with the treatment energy being so close behind the insertion, it is almost a non issue anyway. (Of course, if your worker is missing the follicle and making a new hole more often than not, that is a sure sign of bad work.)
I agree with James. Again, we are back to proper vision aid and lighting. In addition, I take the stance that not all epilators are equal, however, all will deliver energy to the bottom of the follicle to disable the ability of the follicle to nurture hair.
Not all my insertions are pain-free and yes, it is because I am only human and I don’t use anesthetics for the vast majority of my clients. My advice would be to always strive harder to make painless insertions. Don’t resign yourself to the fact that not all insertions are painless, oh well! The very core of good treatments center around perfect insertions.
Hear hear!
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As a client, when I go for a consultation, I would be looking very closely for things like this. Mainly because it’s a treatment of just a few minutes and the electrologist is generally working slower than usual, therefore they can be more accurate in each insertion.
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As a person who wishes to become an electrologist, I would strive for my technique and equipment to allow me to do good and accurate insertions as much as I can.
Don’t read me wrong here I’m not suggesting that the latest equipment doesn’t play a part in more comfortable and effective treatment but a satisfactory job can still be completed by a competent practitioner without all the gadgets. I have invested in the latest bells and whistles with this in mind but I’d still have faith in someone with a long list of happy past clients even if they looked through the end of a bottle used a sewing needle and a couple of double A’s taped together with masking tape. Just imagine how good someone like this would be if they did swing with the times, not the newspaper
I’m glad to report I’ve not opened my tub of filler just yet so I must be doing something right.
I hope I didn’t give the impression that I’m happy to cause pain when inserting into a follicle, I’ve certainly not resigned myself to this being the case, not at all. But I have noticed it every now and then and it troubles me deeply to think I’m causing any distress in this way. It is re-assuring to realise and have confirmed that sometimes, try as we might, this can on occasion be the case.
It was only ever my intention in starting this post to clear up the issue of pain free insertions, to blow away the smoke that sometimes hides the truth. Hopefully as the post progresses as I’m sure it will this matter will be cleared up at least in the short term and until it fades into the higher numbers of pages where I have no doubt it’s been covered before.
When it comes to an insertion most ( key word being “most”) people don’t feel the it. However, some people are hyper sensitive and they will feel it… For example, the upper lip is really sensitive and usually an area where some more than others can feel the insertion. But if most of your clients are feeling the insertion first I’d make sure your using the proper size needle. If its to big they will feel it no matter how perfect it is.
For some reason i only saw the last post follizap entered… then i saw james’s post… he typed everything that was going through my head and nailed it compleatly. Working on yourself is not easy. It’s hard to line up a good insertion on yourself. But keep practicing. I think a good insertion is the most important step in electrolsis.
The insertions are less significant if the skin around the work area is sufficiently stretched. The follicle is flexible like a balloon, you must open the mouth of the balloon to enter the air. A deflated balloon neck is crushed.
Translate this example to a follicle, neck of the follicle is the anchorage zone.
Most students fail in this detail. Tighten, tighten, tighten.
If stretching is not enough, the needle will find an obstacle right in the most painful area, ie in the anchorage area.
I love you Josefa!!!
Sometimes it is the very simple things that have to be repeated over and over!! I think I will get this printed on my gloves!!!
MaryC
Almost everything has been said, and i actually do almost follow James. Simply because i found that is impossible to insert something beyond size two into most follicles of my lower legs - not me using 6 fold magnification, not collegues with 10 years of experience. Stretchin will not help.
On the other hand i am easily able to insert size 6 probes pain free in most client situations since i have switched from my 8 dioptres ring or clip on loups to my 6 fold stereo…
If we’re on the subject of insertions - sometimes i have the feeling that it is almost impossible to make perfect insertions if the client is nervous. In such situations i find it sometimes almost impossible to get the needle into the follicle despite of good stretching, slowing down treatment a bit, and if i succeed i need about two times the energy usual (and documented!) to this area of the client - in cases where i am sure to finally have inserted correctly. And usually pain free. I wonder whats going on there. And i wonder if the hair muscle may have an influence on the ease of insertion.
Despite of that for me noticeable insertions are always a sign that i must readjust my treatment somehow.
I’ve been waiting to read everyone’s opinions and experiences, before posting my own. Margaret’s insertions are ridiculously pain-free. I never really know where she’s inserted until after the energy is applied. Occasionally I can feel her start to insert, pull back, then re-insert. Even in these cases, there is no pain, only my awareness of the activity. She has a very delicate touch, and works at a very steady (if not speedy) rate. Working on my lips and chin, I appreciate her skill very much.
Or talking!!!
A double whammy is my Italian ladies talking with their mouth and hands moving at the same time. Since I am half Italian (and half Irish), I totally love it enough to work around it!
Some clients faces (especially chins) move a lot more than others, when they speak. For me, these are the trickiest for smooth insertions. Others can talk away, and there is hardly any movement at all.
Or talking!!! [/quote]
Yes, of course. But these movements are often slow enough that they could be compensated to some degree by most electrologists. And if not we can ask the client to interrupt the interesting topic for a moment.
Sometimes i seem to observe some subtle trembling of the client, but sometimes even that NOT. And those situations are the subject of my question.